Alloy for electrical contagts and method for making same



I ,tion. 7 1o is more essential that Patented Nov. 28, 1922,

carries stares FREDERICK L. WHITE, 0]? LAKEWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOB 'IO JOSEPH were earear errace.

A. WILLIAMS, 0F

CLEVELAND, OHIO.

ALLOY FOR ELECTRICAL CONTAGTS AND METHOD FOR MAKING- SAME.

Ho Drawing.

T his invention relates to alloys and more particularly to an alloy adapted for con: tacts for electrical devices.

The main object of the invention is to provide an alloy for electrical contacts, which possesses low resistance, sparks very little, oxidizes but slightly, will retain a smooth and bright contact surface, and will wear well;

Hereto'iore, it has been thought that a metal or an alloy for electrical contacts should have a high melting point to resist the heat produced by continuous sparking and the dry erosion or wastin; away of the contacts a result thereof. The alloy hereinafter described has been developed on the theory that it is not necessary to use a metal or an alloy having; a high melting point, but the substance pussesses great ductility and malleability. There is great cohesion between the particles of a ductile 0r malleable substance and consequentially when used for electrical contacts, will not flake ofl' in granules as is the case with other substances where there is less cohesion between the particles. As a result, the contacts will wear well, they will remain smooth and bright, there will be but slight sparking. and little oxidization.

The alloy of this invention is produced by treating or reducing compounds of silver in the presence of uranium. To produce an alloy, which when used for electrical contacts has given the best results as herebet'ore mentioned, silver oxide is reduced in the presence of uranium acetate. The silver oxide.

Making- Application filed October 28, 1918. Serial No. 259,936.

is reduced by adding one-half of one percent of uranium acetate and heating the mixture I in a crucible. This alloy when used for electrical contacts, possesses low resistance, and therefore the tendency to become heated is reduced to a minimum with but slight oxidizations -As there is little heat, the eilects of spark erosion is lessened, and it is also reduced on amount of the great ductility and mallea bility ofthe alloy because of the intense cohesion between its particles, which prevents it from flaking on in granules. The contacts therefore wear well, and remain smooth and bright. I

It will be understood that this invention consists in producing an alloy by treating or reducing any of the silver salts in the presence of any of the uranium salts.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An alloy for electrical contacts consisting; of silver and a suilicient quantityoi uranium to increase the cohesion oi its,

particles but less than one per cent of uranium.

An alloy for electrical contacts consisting of silver 995%- and uranium t of 17,.

3. An alloy for electrical contact points consistin; of silver and uranium of a quantity not more than ten percent to prevent it flaking oil by electrical action.

4. method of producing an allov for 1 electrical contacts consisting of heating a.

ilver oxide and a uranium acetate.

5. A method of producing an alloy for electrical contacts consisting of hcatin; a silver oxide and a sutlicient quantit' \-':oi' a uranium acetate. to increase the ohesion of its particles but less than one per cent of the uranium acetate.

In testimony whereof I allix my sigma ture.

FREDERICK L. Wlli'lll. 

